PRETORIA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - South Africa’s energy regulator Nersa said on Friday it had granted power utility Eskom a 5.23 percent electricity tariff increase, much lower than the 19.9 percent the country’s sole power supplier had requested.

Cash-strapped Eskom which has been engulfed in a governance crisis had said it needs high electricity prices increases to shore up its balance sheet. (Reporting by Tanisha Heiberg; Writing by Mfuneko Toyana; Editing by James Macharia)